necessities, which the girl feels and has an intuition of, but as yet knows nothing definite about.  Such conversations are the order of the day in schools and in colleges and specially revolve around procreation, the most difficult mystery of all.  They are a heap of stupidities.”  This lady had only known of one definitely homosexual relationship during the whole of her college-life; the couple in question were little liked and had no other “flames.”  The chief general sexual manifestations, this lady concludes, which she had noted among her companions was a constant preoccupation with sexual mysteries and the necessity of talking about them perpetually.

Another lady collaborator who had lived in a Normal school had had somewhat wider experiences.  She entered at the age of 14 and experienced the usual loneliness and unhappiness of a new pupil.  One day as she was standing pensive and alone in a corner of the room, a companion—­one who on her arrival had been charged to show her over the college—­ran up to her, “embracing me, closing by mouth with a kiss, and softly caressing my hair.  I gazed at her in astonishment, but experienced a delicious sensation of supreme comfort.  Here began the idyll!  I was subjected to a furious tempest of kisses and caresses which quite stunned me and made me ask myself the reason of such a new and unforeseen affection.  I ingenuously inquired the reason, and the reply was:  ’I love you; you struck me immediately I saw you, because you are so beautiful and so white, and because it makes me happy and soothes me when I can pass my hands through your hair and kiss your plump, white face.  I need a soul and a body.’  This seemed to me the language of a superior person, for I could not grasp all its importance.  As on the occasion when she first embraced me, I looked at her in astonishment and could not for the moment respond to a new fury of caresses and kisses.  I felt that they were not like the kisses of my mamma, my papa, my brother, and other companions; they gave me unknown sensations; the contact of those moist and fleshy lips disturbed me.  Then came the exchange of letters and the usual rights and duties of ‘flames.’  When we met in the presence of others we were only to greet each other simply, for ‘flames’ were strictly prohibited.  I obeyed because I liked her, but also because I was afraid of her Othello-like jealousy.  She would suffocate me, even bite me, when I played, joyously and thoughtlessly, with others, and woe to me if I failed to call her when I was combing my hair.  She liked to see me with my hair down and would rest her head on my shoulder, especially if I were partially undressed.  I let her do as she liked, and she would scold me severely because I was never first in longing for her, running to meet her, and kissing her.  But at the same time the thought of losing her, the thought that perhaps one day she would shower her caresses on others, secretly wounded my heart.  But I never told her this!